THE PROPOSED U.S. CUTS FOR HIV/AIDS FUNDING

It was with great sadness that I learnt that the US plans to cut down on funding for Hiv/AIDS, and with still greater sadness that I read the article on the “Shocking confessions of adolescents living with Hiv/AIDS” were a few teens are clamouring for U.S. aids because they are homosexuals living with Hiv/AIDS. This is really appalling in a society like ours. Yes, I understand that we need these funds. We need them because they are a basic need for all those living with Hiv/AIDS and not just because some homosexual teens out there have decided to have fun without any protection or because they have no plans of getting married. In fact, when I read the article, I thought to myself, these reasons are enough to even withdraw foreign aids. These homosexual teens, rather than parading the fact that they are homosexuals having unprotected sex, having fun and living with Hiv/Aids, should also be made to realise that there are very many people out there living with cancer, there are many who cannot even afford to buy malaria drugs, or even eat once daily. And for crying out loud, homosexuality is against the Nigerian law and culture. These people should actually be speaking from behind bars, rather than instigating a propaganda for homosexuals. Besides, statistics already showed that anal sex is the riskiest type of sex for spreading Hiv/AIDS… I feel it’s a bit lackadaisical to say one enjoys taking such a risk and in the same breadth to be crying for aids from the U.S.

As a secondary school teacher, I have come to realise from the confidences my students share with me that many times, the problems most teenagers face in their adolescent years has its roots in a faulty family background. We all know the role the family plays in a child’s upbringing. A student once confided in me that she hates men. This was quite shocking and a strong statement coming from a teenager. And when I dug deeper, I realised that the girl was being repeatedly abused sexually by her uncle, and was too afraid to speak up. And so for her, all men were monsters. Can one then be surprised if such a girl starts having gay tendencies? We have had cases of cousins in the higher institution abusing their younger cousins when they come to spend holidays with an uncle or aunt, and introducing then into homosexuality. From the personal experiences I have encountered in my years of teaching, most teenagers (especially those who are boarders) are introduced into homosexual activities, while they are still in secondary school. When they are caught, they most often say their classmates or older students introduced them to it. For sure a good number of them were not born that way, but are victims of very sad circumstances. Parents need to draw closer to their children, and be friends with them. Even though given the harsh economic situation, we have situations whereby both parents are out of their homes even before the children awake and return very late at night. Hence the children are left without any close monitoring. They regard their parents as strangers, and go to the internet for answers to all their teenage problems. The family should be our first priority. The excuse that we need to hustle to put food on the table is being overstretched. As teachers, we try to do the best we can. But parents have a lot of roles to play. If parents are close to their children, they are better able to notice any odd habits or behaviours and address them promptly. Gay lobbying is on the rise. And I will like to say that from my close dealings with teenagers, a good percentage of teenagers who tend towards these abnormal habits like lesbianism and homosexuality are either from traumatised or broken homes or have been abused in one way or the other. They are emotionally and mentally unstable. It is very clear that this is a propaganda by the LBTGs to seek the compassion and support of the public. We have to fight resolutely against any form of gay lobbying which goes against nature itself. We can’t start fighting for the rights of people who clearly need psychiatric help, but are oblivious of that fact.

I think the government should set up special institutions where patients with these disorders can have access to medical help. Values, self-control and high morals should be promoted in schools. Far from ostracising those who have these disorders, they should be encouraged to seek urgent medical attention and shun gay lobbying. Many Nigerians need food also. Can drugs work without food? Omosefe Oseghale, Benin City